For normal, upright citizens, summer translates to lazy days at he beach, toes in the sand, trashy novel in hand—a full-on
vacation. For musicians, however, summer means tours, or what I
like to call play-cation. For more than 20 years I’ve spent my sweaty
June, July, and August months touring, from the grand and sublime to the cheap and crappy—there’s no bar too far, no hall too
small. In the best of all possible worlds, I’m playing great music
with good friends while seeing the world. Worst-case scenario:
I’m playing rubbish with sleazebags and seeing my worst tendencies take over my personality. Although we often cannot control
where life takes us, we can, with some effort, control our response.
Admittedly I’m a slow learner, but occasionally I learn from my
mistakes and have, through trial and error, come up with a few
guidelines and rules that have helped me avoid disaster and make
the most of my touring adventures. This personal protocol may not
be for everyone, but it works for me (when I choose to follow it).
